DES MOINES, Iowa - The Marist football team suffered a 34-27 overtime loss to Drake in a Pioneer Football League (PFL) contest on Saturday. The Red Foxes led 27-3 in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs scored the final 31 points of the game.
Sophomore running back Max Jacques (Salem, N.H.) scored two touchdowns, and ran for 80 yards on 18 carries. Fifth-year senior wide receiver Michael Rios (Miami, Fla.) caught three passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, including a 74-yards strike from fifth-year senior quarterback Tommy Reilly (Marlton, N.J.) in the first quarter. Reilly, making his first start of the season as he was subbing for injured junior quarterback Chuckie Looney (Ocala, Fla.), threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns.
Three Red Foxes - senior linebacker Mike Hagemann (Vernon, N.J.), senior safety Nick Mainiero (Croton, N.Y.) and sophomore cornerback Vinny Fuschetto (New Providence, N.J.) - led the team with 11 tackles apiece. Mainiero added a sack and a fumble recovery. Junior cornerback Jack Marston (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) had nine tackles - including seven solo stops - to go along with an interception and two pass break-ups.
Drake was led offensively by quarterback Mike Piatkowski, who went 32-for-54 for 373 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 28 yards on the ground.
Marist led 14-3 at halftime, as the Red Foxes held the Bulldogs to just three points in four trips inside the Red Zone. The Red Foxes then expanded their lead to 27-3 lead in the third quarter, but Drake scored three touchdowns coupled with three two-point conversions in a span of 11-and-a-half minutes to tie the game.
In overtime, Drake scored on its first possession. Marist moved the ball to the Drake 1 on its first possession, but Reilly was sacked on third and fourth down to end the game.
Marist (2-5 overall, 1-3 PFL) will return to action next Saturday at Valparaiso. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. EDT. Drake is now 6-2 overall and 5-0 in the PFL.
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